


Magic Carpet Ride

by Sammiec3



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 02:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3158165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sammiec3/pseuds/Sammiec3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the war, Nico and Percy's friends are sick and tired of them skirting around each other, then only talking about how much they like the other. With Valentines day approaching Rachel decides that enough is enough, she makes up a plan to force the demigods to talk, with Jason posing as their magic Genie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Magic Carpet Ride

Jason was irritated. He had spent the last six months watching Percy and Nico dance around each other. Percy had been single for almost that long now, and he had officially come out as gay three months ago. With much support from his best friend (Annabeth) and convincing from Piper. Annabeth had seen it first, of course she had. She had been his girlfriend for over a year and best friend for longer. And Jason had been present with his girlfriend when the two approached him about it. “Perseus fucking Jackson you better let me into this cabin right now before I have Jason blast the door down!” She had yelled. Cautiously the door had opened revealing a depressed and timid looking Percy. The three entered the cabin and closed the door so they could have privacy, then Annabeth took a seat on his bed and he clung to her, crying. Piper joined them on the bed and helped sooth him until he calmed down.

“I’m sorry,” he kept repeating because he didn’t want to hurt Annabeth, but she just kept holding him closer.

“Percy, I knew you were gay.” She told him. “Even if you didn’t I did. I agreed to becoming your girlfriend knowing that for several reasons.” She said, running her fingers through his hair. “First, because I didn’t want anyone taking you from me, not right then at least. You’re my best friend and you will forever be my best friend. And second because you’re insecure, I was going to help you ease into it, show you that it was okay to be who you are. But clearly Hera had other plans in mind and I wasn’t able to help you. You had to suffer through heartache and then Nico told you that he liked you and broke your heart in the same sentence.”

And that had made the boy realise that he was in love with the son of Hades. The confession and heart shattering news, Percy had locked himself in his cabin, not leaving it and suffering on his own. Because he was scared that people would’ve rejected him. Jason rubbed his temples, first he had to go through nearly the same thing with the child of Hades, over the son of Poseidon, and now he had to watch the son of Poseidon suffer through his heartache over the son of Hades. For six months now he had watched as Nico grew out of his shell, becoming confident with who he was  and making friends whom he could trust. (Jason was personally glad to be apart of that). He would have to watch the interactions between the two, which were rare because honestly Nico spent most of his time with Will in the med tent or Lue Ellen in the forest or with Jason himself sparing, and on top of his camp activities. While Percy still spent most of his time with Annabeth, he had gotten fairly involved in her redesigning Olympus, or with Rachel working on art together, or with the Demeter girls who were teaching him new cooking recipes, he quite enjoyed cooking. Well, he enjoyed creating things, now with all the free time, no quests or wars to worry about he had been able to figure out what he liked and started going after it. Their schedules rarely crossed, but when they did accidentally run into each other it was always awkward, Nico unsure what to say and Percy blushing and shying away.

Jason’s just about had it.

“Jason get out of the clouds and come down here,” his girlfriend called down to him, looking down from his seat on the roof of his father’s cabin he could see the daughter of Aphrodite standing in the pavilion. He jumped down, landing lightly on his feet and joined her.

“What’s up Pipes?” Jason asked.

“Remember last Friday? We watched Aladdin with Percy and Rachel?” She asked as she took his hand and led him down the line of cabins.

“Not one of our best dates.” Jason noted, she rolled her eyes.

“Percy said he’d always wanted to go on a magic carpet ride.” Piper continued, they stepped up to the Aphrodite cabin. “So I need you to be Nico’s Genie.”

“What?” Jason asked skeptically. They walked into the room and found Annabeth inspecting something on a laptop.

“You need to be Nico’s Genie so Nico can be Percy’s Aladdin.” Piper told him, Annabeth looked up at them.

“And Percy can have his magic carpet ride.” Rachel added from the bunk. “Because I am getting sick and tired of watching them dance. Valentines day is in three days, if they’re not a happy couple by then I will lock them in Aphrodite’s temple for the entire day.” Annabeth rolled her eyes.

“What they’re trying to say,” she cut in before either girl could make him more confused. “Is that we’re setting Percy and Nico up on a date with the help of Will and Lue.” She explained. “And you need to tag along because you’re the only one that can fly. Percy wants a magic carpet ride? Fine. Use your powers over the wind to give him one.”

“You want me to get them both into the air?”

“On a carpet.” Annabeth agreed.

“And just fly them around.”

“Good he gets it.” Piper grinned “Preferably in daylight, so Nico can’t shadow travel away, and Butch will talk to the pegasi after so they know not to chase after Percy when he calls. They’d be completely at your mercy and you can be evil and force them to admit their feelings for each other.”

“And how exactly are you supposed to get them together?” Jason asked skeptically.

“Nico owes me a favor, don't ask it’s a long story, and I’m going to ask him to be a ‘Model’ for a painting. And you know Percy, he’s always overly eager to help me with my paintings.” Rachel explained. “We’ll set it up so that they’ll be standing on the carpet and you take over from there.”

“Lue and I have it set up, we’ll dress them up nicely for each other and be stuck in the sky.” Piper told him.

“Fine, but only because I’m sick of watching it too.” Jason stated. “When do you plan on doing this?”

“First thing tomorrow morning so you have all day to keep them trapped in the air.” Rachel said happily. “Oh, and Jason. Sense you’re going to be their Genie you’ll have to look the part.”

G-E-N-I-E

When Nico found Rachel talking with Jason and Lue he knew something was up. The Oracle had a sketchbook in her hands and was showing it to Lue, who nodded, pointing to something and suggesting small changes in which Rachel would quickly do. “Nico,” Jason said grabbing the girl’s attention.

“Jason, Rachel, what are you doing?” Nico asked, as he joined them. Lue and him usually went out to hunt monsters or chill in the woods at this time.

“I am designing clothes,” Rachel answered. “Lue agreed to help me and Jason agreed to be my model sense Piper decided to kidnap my normal one.” Lue gave Nico a sheepish smile.

“Sorry, we’ll have to delay our adventure today.” Lue told him.

“Try this,” Rachel said, Lue studied the image then looked at Jason and waved her hands. His clothes transformed, going from the normal camp drag to black skinny jeans, ripped at the knees, black combat boots and a red T-shirt with a water like pattern on it, and a black leather jacket with silver buttons. Rachel hummed, then shifted her sketchbook so it blocked Jason’s face from sight. Lue studied him, then did the same with her hand.

“Yeah it’s definitely the sunny boy look that makes the outfits bad on him.” Lue stated. “Now if it were on Nico,” she turned to the boy and flicked her hands again his clothes changing to the exact outfit Jason had on.

“Lue!” Rachel turned to look at him, inspecting the change. Where the clothes looked awkward on Jason, they fit Nico.

“Yeah you’re right.” Rachel agreed. “But I’m working with what I have, Piper took the best model I know. Percy just looks good in any style.” Lue shrugged.

“Percy plays dress up for you?” Jason asked, smirking a little.

“For me and Piper.” Rachel shrugged then turned the page. “Now this would look good on Jason,” she said. Lue glanced at it then worked her magic. Jason was now in tan shorts, sandals, and a hawaiian T-shirt with Lightning designs instead of flowers.”

“How did I become your model?” Neco demanded to know.

“You owe me a favor.” Rachel answered. “Tomorrow morning at 6. Down at the beach.” She ordered, he glowered at her. Lue waved her hand and the clothes returned to normal. “And you can’t fight this Nico, I will make your life hell otherwise.”

“Fine,” he hissed. Rachel smiled and cheerfully left with Jason.

G-E-N-I-E

Percy was used to waking early, he was used to being dressed up by Piper, the entire Aphrodite cabin actually, and Rachel. He was also used to modeling for Rachel, or helping Rachel with her art. He was however not used to doing all that before breakfast. Piper and Lacy had woken him up at 4 in the morning, and dragged him to their cabin and they spent the two hours and a half dolling him up. He ended up in a skin tight turtleneck tanktop. At the top it was blue like the morning sky, and it faded to black with white dots like the night sky. He was wearing white skinny jeans and black heeled boots that reached mid-calf. Then they had breakfast in the cabin, Lacy fed him because his hands were otherwise occupied with Piper and Mitchell worked on making his nails perfect. He hadn’t questioned it, remembering yesterday when Lacy and Piper had given him a pedicure while watching some of his favorite movies. (Yeah they buttered him up first). And to top that off Michael, a son of Venus that was spending the week here with his boyfriend (a son of Ares) for Valentines day. He was working on Percy’s hair. Trimming it up, getting rid of the split ends and making it shape Percy’s face better. When Percy first protested the son of Venus had glared, hard and told him that he was cuter that way. So he reluctantly agreed.

“Open,” Lacy told him and he did, she brought the spoon of cereal over and it clicked against his tounge ring. He had several piercings now. He had gotten his first after defeating Kronos. A belly button peircing, something hidden. He had wanted to prove to himself that he belonged to himself. After the war he had gotten it on impulse. Then Hera had to kidnap him and stolen his memories and after regaining them he was mad. He had gotten his ears pierced in New Rome. Simple studs that no one seemed to notice. And after the Giant’s war and his heart break… well he was ashamed of them at first. The different studs lining his ears, Annabeth had noticed them first and slapped him for being a moron. Then told him what he did with his body was his business. Her reason for slapping him had been to remind him he did belong to himself, something he had doubts about even now. Every new peircing was proof though. It helped calm him. His tounge peircing was his newest. That and a tattoo of a trident on his formal mortal spot, painful but worth it, (he obtained again in New Rome, he was still underage). They were christmas presents from Reyna and Jason.

He closed his mouth and she pulled the spoon out. “You’re such a good doll!” Lacy squeaked delighted and Percy rolled his eyes a bit. “This painting of Rachel’s is going to be amazing.” And that’s his reason for doing this. Art. He loved art. He had found his passion for it after the wars and Rachel adopted him, teaching him everything she knew. But he didn’t just want to paint and draw (though he quite enjoyed it) he decorated pastries, he helped design clothes, he even did makeup with much patience from the Aphrodite girls. He was good at art, and it let him show the other campers his experiences through his eyes. His art was currently his source of money. He painted or designed food or clothes and people bought it. And when the new campers asked about his story’s he could show them. They got to see what he had been through, they still asked to hear about it but they understood his pain more. His nails were dried as he finished his breakfast then Piper left the cabin and returned with his toothbrush and he went to clean his mouth. He looked at himself in the mirror, his normal gold studs were replaced with silver, some having blue sapphires in them. The studs at the top of his ear were just that then the jewels slowly grew as they reached his earlobes. He stuck out his tongue and took out the piercing, putting it in the plastic bag and replaced it with the one Piper gave to him. The two ball was a blue and black marble. When he left the dressing room he returned to his spot, Lacy going to return his things while Piper put the finishing touch on, a small amount of dark green eyeliner to bring out his eyes. “Perfect!” She said giddily and backed up, the four children of love examined their work. “You’re ready, and just in time. Common Rachel will be waiting.” Piper moved to drag him off but Michael stopped her.

“Wait, a photo of our masterpiece first.” He reminded her. She sighed as Mitchell went to grab the camera. They took several photos before letting Piper take him away.

Rachel was waiting at the beach, an easel out and her paints on a small portable table. Nico, Lue, Will and Jason were waiting with them. Percy stumbled a little as Piper sped up then handed him over. “He’s all yours.” Piper grinned. Rachel inspected him.

“Piper you’re brilliant.” Rachel decided before pushing Percy in place next to Nico, getting the older to blush some. Nico was in the outfit Lue had constructed yesterday, his hair was a little messyer than normal, as if it was purposeful messed with. Rachel put them sitting on the rug and made a show of posing them and ordering them to stay still, which Percy was used too. Then she packed up to inspect them. Percy was sitting at the edge of the rug, which she had instructed Jason to lift so Percy could have a leg dangling off the edge, the other was pulled up to rest on the edge, he had his arms wrapped around it and his chin on his knee. He was looking towards the table and away from Nico. Nico was in a more casual stance, lounging his legs crossed at the ankles as he leaned back supporting himself with his arms. He was looking at the sky. “Don’t move!” She ordered before jumping off the carpet and going to her easel. She picked up her pencil to sketch before she started painting, like she always, and Jason was watching. After a minute Percy yelped, clutching onto the edge of the carpet as it shot into the air. They were moving up, far up into the sky, and away from the lake. It wasn’t long until the camp was a speck. Nico moved to look over the edge as well.

Jason followed after soon, his outfit having been changed into baggy dark blue pants and a light blue vest with cloud prints on it. He had golden bands around his ankles and wrists and curled shoes. (Rachel had insisted.) “Grace what do you think you’re doing?” Nico demanded once he rose to their level.

“Flying?” Jason offered casually. Percy stared at the blond in horror.

“W-W-Why are we three thousand feet in the air?” Percy demanded to know.

“Because everybody at camp is sick and tired of you two glancing secretly at each other.” Jason stated, crossing his arms. “Will and Lue have even complained to me, complained Nico, that you’re always talking about Percy. While Piper and Annabeth can only listen to you Percy, talk about Nico so much.” Jason stated. “I will keep you both up here all day if I have too and you know I will.” He warned, “talk. To. Each. Other.” He ordered, “once you do that then I’ll negotiate the terms of your release.” With that he dropped a few hundred feet to give them privacy. The carpet lazily moved forewords, drifting through the sky after Jason.

Percy was blushing brightly and moved to be more on the carpet. It was a long drop down and he didn’t want to fall, and he was out of his element, far, far away from his element. He could feel the ocean being distanced from them. All the while Nico was glaring at a cloud a few feet away. A stony silence laid between them. After the blush retreated Percy stared off to the horizon, watching as the sun slowly rose over the earth. He was wishing he had his camera or something, this would be one of those photos you’d only see if you were leaving for space. The air was warm for a winter day, which Percy found strange, it seemed to be the opposite the relation between the Underworld and Tartarus. Percy shuddered at that thought, where the Underworld had been cold, Tartarus had been sweltering. He bit the bar to his tounge ring nervously. Something he had been doing instead of biting his lip.

“Cold…?” Nico asked, Percy stiffened, having almost forgotten that he was there, then relaxed and shook his head.

“I was just thinking.” He said, then paused. “It’s warm up here.”

“Warmer than the ground,” Nico agreed. Silence fell again and dragged on. The sun had almost burst entirely over the earth before Nico spoke. “Did you know about this?”

“No,” Percy shook his head and looked over at him. “I wouldn’t have agreed to it otherwise, I’m terrified of heights.” Nico raised an eyebrow at that.

“Because it’s Zeus’s realm?” He asked. Percy shook his head and returned his attention to the horizon.

“I didn’t mind being up high before… before falling into…”

“Oh,” Nico frowned, that made sense. “That’s a good reason to be scared of heights.”

“Yeah… what about you?” Percy asked. Nico shrugged.

“I’d prefer not to but sometimes it can’t be avoided.” He commented. “This doesn’t count in that though.” He added, slightly irritated. Percy laughed a little.

“Yep, it’d be like… me taking you and Jason to Atlantis, or you bringing us to the Underworld without warning.” He commented. “He broke our silent agreement.”

“What should we do in return?”

“I think he’d enjoy a trip to Atlantis,” Percy smirked. “Stick him in a bubble and send him down.” Nico chuckled. “Or we could shove him into one of your father’s prisons, keep him there for a few days”

“He’d love that.” Nico mused, Percy started to relax, leaning back and supporting himself with his arms. His legs crossed. “But I’m sure he didn’t come up with this plan on his own.”

“No,” Percy shook his head and stared up thoughtfully. “But he broke the silent agreement between us. So he gets to suffer.” They were quiet again for a time, then Nico laid back to look up at the ocean of blue above them.

“When did you figure it out?” He asked.

“Mmm?” Percy looked down at him.

“That you were gay.”

“Oh… um… After Hera took my memories.” He said awkwardly, not wanting to admit that seeing him made the emotions swell. “I didn’t have a lot of time to you know… think about it until after the war.”

“And Annabeth?”

“She knew before I did.” He admitted. “Long before.” He returned his attention to the horizon. “She told me after, that she agreed to going out with me so she could help me settle with who I was. She did help me but it was later then she had originally planned.” Nico hummed. “What about you?”

“I’ve always known,” he answered. “But I didn’t face it until meeting Eros. He kinda forced me to face it.”

“That must’ve been hard.” Percy commented. “Having a god forcing it.”

“It was,” Nico agreed. “But Will and Lue helped. And Jason.” He rolled his eyes a bit. “It was easier after knowing I had friends like me, and that supported me.”

“Yeah,” Percy agreed.

“But you didn’t come out until a few months ago,” Nico sat up and looked at him.

“I might have come out sooner…” Percy commented. “Clarisse made a comment when I told her that put me off. I know she didn’t mean anything by it but it was hard enough to tell her.” He frowned. “Annabeth said that admitting it to your close friends and family first helped and well Clarisse is a good friend.”

“She just shows it in the wrong way.” Nico figured. Percy nodded.

G-E-N-I-E

Nico barely noticed the sun creeping farther into the sky, they spent most of the morning talking about random things, their friends, families, how nice of a day it was all through the states, because at this point they were half way across America and they haven’t encountered bad weather at all. Percy had dared standing up so he could stretch and Nico noticed the small mark on his lower back, his shirt had riled up a little. “Is that a tattoo?” He asked, getting to his knees and pushing the shirt up some more, his thumb brushing against the dyed skin. A soft moan answered and Nico looked up to see Percy blushing darkly. Pressed between his lips was a small marble that quickly disappeared as he pulled the shirt down. Nico took the time to look at Percy, actually pay attention to what’s changed in the last six months. He had piercings lining his ear, Nico assumed both but he could only see the one. His hair was a bit shorter and shaping his face, but still a mess and he was wearing the smallest bit of eyeliner.

“It was a birthday present.” Percy told him, carefully sitting back down. “From Reyna. A proper tattoo, and not…” he rubbed the S. P. Q. R. marking on his arm.

“So you moan when people touch your tattoo’s?” Nico questioned, the blush darkened on his face.

“No, it’s just the spot…” He said timidly. “It was my mortal spot… back when I had Achilles’s curse. It’s… It’s one of the more sensitive spots on my body.” Nico noted that down, and nodded.

“And the piercings?” Nico asked. He noticed the ball appearing between Percy’s teeth as Percy’s eyes drifted away.

“I was insecure,” Percy commented quietly after a while. “No, I am insecure, and I wanted to do something for myself to help me get over that. Or start too. “So after the Titan War I got my first one, then Hera kidnapped me and I had to start over, find my memories and all my insecurities slapped me in the face so I got more after the Giants War. I know it’s weird but it helps me.” Nico frowned a little.

“What are you insecure about? You’ve never seemed it,” he said quietly.

“Being gay for a start, I mean, it took Hera stealing my memories for me to even think about that.” Percy commented. He wrapped his arms around his knees, resting his head on them. “It might have been easier for me if Annabeth had gone and helped me through it, ease my way into it instead of…” he sighed. “My first stepfather used to abuse me, back before he uh… met Medusa.” His lips twitched into a small smile for a moment. “It was all verbal at first, I was a bastard child, I was stupid, I’d never become anything. It didn’t help that I could never stay in a school longer than a year, I had a hard time learning. As I got older he started beating me, most of my scars aren’t from fighting monsters or accidental injuries while training. They’re from his abuse. Then one night he violated me. That was the night I just gave up, he had won, I used to think that everything he told me was true. I didn’t have friends and mom was hardly around because she had to work.” He drifted off. “A few years later I met Grover, he was my first friend, aside from my mom he was the first person that actually care about me. I didn’t want to lose that friendship so I did what I could to keep it, never talking about anything that might risk it. Of course now he knows everything about me but it took me years to trust myself enough to trust that he wouldn’t leave. Things kinda got better after meeting Grover, I learned I was a demigod, met Annie, we went on our first quest. Of course Zeus wanted me dead, and your dad, they thought I had stolen the master bolt and helm of darkness. During the quest we killed Medusa and her head was a spoil of war.”

“And you used it to petrify your stepfather?” Nico asked. Percy shook his head and looked over at him.

“I wanted too, I found out that he had beat mom. It was a line he should’ve never crossed.”

“He never should’ve touched you.” Nico said, Percy shrugged a little, keeping his gaze to the sky. “Percy-”

“I know.” He commented. “When I had killed Medusa, her head was left. I was annoyed with the gods and found a box, then sent her head to them.”

“That sounds like something you’d do.” Nico smiled a little.

“When we returned to New York, the box was in my apartment. I left it for mom after she insisted.” He said. “She later told me that he made a very nice statue. Sold for quite a lot of money too, it’s what helped her get her GED and take some college courses so she could become a writer. Gabe had become a missing person,”

“He deserved worse.” Nico said.

“I’m sure he’s having a horrible time in the underworld.” Percy mused. It was quiet for a little bit. “After I returned to camp, then went to school and met Tyson, I spent most of the school year protecting him from bullies. We were attacked on the last day of school, by cannibals, and Annabeth helped bring us to camp. Thalia’s pine tree was poisoned at this point, and Clarisse was sent on a quest to find the golden fleece. Annabeth, Tyson and I snuck out to do the quest ourselves, but we ended up helping each other. We met Cercie. She really made me notice the bad qualities of myself, the things I hate the most.”

“And then she turned you into a guinea pig.” Nico recalled.

“Not one of my best moments.” Percy chuckled dryly. “After, we saved Grover from getting married, got the fleece and saved the tree, and brought Thalia back to life.” Percy looked over to Nico. “That winter we go to this school Grover’s attending and find two demigod children of Hades.” His grip on himself tightened. “Athena once told me that my fatal flaw is excessive personal loyalty. I would risk everything to protect those around me. I-I had promised you that I would keep Bianca safe, and I failed you. I-I was ready to die to save them and she took that choice from me.” He hid his face as best he could, resting his forehead against his arms. Nico moved closer, he wrapped an arm around the older boy and Percy slowly unraveled, leaning into the embrace. He carefully shifted Percy so he was sitting on his lap, the small hands holding onto Nico’s shirt and Percy’s face hidden in the crook of his neck. Nico’s arms wrapped protectively around the boy, one hand gently rubbing Percy’s back.

“You know I don’t blame you for that,” Nico whispered softly.

“Now,” Percy agreed in a quiet voice. He slowly lifted his head to look at Nico, the younger demigod leaned forwards, his grip on Percy tightening and kissed him. Percy eagerly kissed back and they stayed like that for a few moments before Percy pulled back, a hopeful glint in his eye, but it quickly changed to skepticism. He poked Nico’s chest. “You didn’t just kiss me out of pity, did you?” He demanded. “Because if you did I will beat your ass.”

“That’s the Percy I know.” Nico chuckled. “I kissed you, because I wanted to kiss you. I wanted to kiss you for quite some time actually.” He added before he could be punched. “I would never take advantage of you.”

“Good, because if you did there will be a long line of people just to beat you up and I’m fairly certain your friends would be in it.”

“And Jason would be heading it,” Nico nodded, Percy’s expression softened and he wrapped his arms around Nico’s neck. “So, you actually want this? To be with me?”

“What kind of question is that?” Percy tried not to roll his eyes. “Yes, I want you. I’ve wanted to be with you sense seeing you at Camp Jupiter, probably longer but I was confused before.” Nico hummed and pulled him into another kiss. Percy smiled into the kiss and held him close.

“Finally.” Percy jumped a little and looked behind him to see Jason floating next to the carpet. He was holding a bag filled with drinks and food. He moved to stand on the carpet and set the bag down.

“Are you here to release us?” Percy asked.

“It’ll be a few hours before we get back to camp.” Jason commented, “I brought food.”

“Jason, put us on the ground.” Nico stated darkly, glaring at the blond. Percy reached over for the bag and looked at it’s contents. “Or at least give me shade so I can take Percy back to camp.”

“Or you could enjoy the ride and time with your boyfriend before the others cloud you.” Jason noted.

“Ground, now.” Percy stated. “I think we’ve both been in the sky for too long. This is Zeus’s territory, you do realize that it’s a miracle he hasn’t smited us yet… right?” Jason rolled his eyes but the carpet started lowering. He sat and took some cheeseburgers from the bag and handed them to the two before taking one for himself. They ate in relative silence, Nico keeping his glare on Jason. Percy had shifted in his embrace so he could eat and rest his head against Nico’s shoulder. Percy studied Jason. “Why did you agree to help with one of Rachel’s crazy schemes? You usually avoid them and leave me to do everything.”

“Because it was either this or Rachel was going to lock you both in the Aphrodite temple for the entirety of Valentines day.” Jason answered. “And you know how Annie designed that place,” Percy nodded.

“Love magic, everywhere.” He commented. “You still didn’t have to kidnap us.” Jason rolled his eyes a bit and took a soda out from the bag, he opened it and took a drink. Percy shivered a little and looked down, a large body of water was below them.

“That’s a lake, where are we?”

“Northern Utah, I think.” Jason shrugged.

“Can I jump into the lake?” He turned to Nico, Nico raised his eyebrow.

“Would my saying no stop you?” He wondered.

“You’re holding me and that restricts my ability to jump into the lake.” Percy noted. “Unless of course you’d like to go for a swim.” Rolling his eyes Nico let him go and Percy stood.

“We’re still quite a ways from the ground,” Jason noted. The son of Poseidon looked at him then rolled his eyes and dove off the carpet. Nico watched, the water reached for Percy as he neared it, then he vanished into it’s depths.

“You’ve forgotten that he fell from earth to Tartarus.” Nico reminded him, “this distance is small compared to that.” Jason sighed.

“I’m sorry for this,” he said after some time. They were resting on the water’s surface now, just waiting for Percy. “But it was honestly the lesser of two evils.”

“I don’t see how being trapped thousands of feet in the sky, over being stuck in a room is the lesser of two evils.”

“The Aphrodite shrine is a brickwork of love magic,” Jason commented. “Going there alone is fine, going with people for a short period of time, or stuff like that, it doesn’t show as much of an effect. But staying there with someone for more than a few minutes…” He glanced up. “Well you heard the story’s of campers getting caught messing around, or people breaking up for no reason, then getting with someone else. The shrine is like a drug.”

“Why did Annabeth design it like that?” Nico asked skeptically.

“Her designs didn’t have as much love magic then what was put in.” Jason responded. “That was the goddess herself. You know how she likes messing with everyone.” He rolled his eyes a little. “So had I not agreed to help… it could’ve gotten you both together.” He said. “But the more likely reaction to it, once the effects of the magic wore off would be that you both would’ve felt awkward about it and cut all ties, destroying any hope of getting together, or even being friends again.”

“So… the lesser of two evils.” Nico noted.

“Why a flying carpet ride?” Percy asked, startling them. He was still in the water, his shirt now resting on the rug and his arms crossed over it.

“That’s entirely your fault.” Jason said, confusion crossed his face.

“How is that my fault? You know I hate heights.” Percy stated.

“Remember movie night last week?” Jason asked, the boy nodded.

“We watched Aladdin…” Percy said then his eyes widened. “She took that comment seriously? I am going to strangle her!”

“What comment?”

“Percy said that he had always wanted to go on a magic carpet ride.” Jason answered. “So operation Genie was formed.”

“Is that why you’re dressed how you are?” Percy mused. “Do we get three wishes?”

“Two, you’ve already used one.” Jason chuckled. “I set you down.”

“There was no ‘I wish’ when we told you to put us down.” Nico noted.

“I can put you right back into the air.” Jason stated, Nico and Percy shared a look before the water started to dip around them, they were lowering into the lake and being encased by a large bubble, Percy backed out of the air pocket and swam back a little before turning and swimming. The bubble following after him. Nico looked around seeing all the fish turning to them as if confused while Jason rolled his eyes The deeper they sank the darker it became. “How can he see anything down here?” Jason finally asked when they were surrounded by complete darkness.

“How can I bend shadows and raise the dead?” Nico asked. “It’s Percy.” Small lights started shivering to life in short bursts. Slowly more and more started to spark to life, circling their bubble and lighting up Percy who jumped down onto the rug, kneeling next to Nico and showing the small glowing fish in a small bubble he held.

“A glass squid.” He said. “They’re usually shy, but fairly friendly.”

“And they glow.” Nico noted, Percy smiled as the light faded from his hand. He got back up and dove out of the bubble, Jason watched as Percy’s path was lit up with thousands of glowing squids, then vanishing ahead of them. Slowly the light started returning, Percy was swimming up towards the surface, stopping every once and a while as a school of fish approached him. The bubble drifted back to the surface world and Percy pulled himself up to sit on the waters edge. He was completely dry, not a hair out of place. Nico saw all the scars lining his back but before he could say anything he noticed that the son of Poseidon still had a bubble of water in his hands. A nearly transparent fish swimming around it.

“You kept it?” Jason asked.

“I asked first.” Percy responded, then grinned. “She said she’d love to join me, though she doesn’t know what to think of being in a tank.”

“What’s her name?” Nico asked, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. Percy leaned into the embrace.

“For the sake of not pronouncing it wrong… I’ll shorten it to Ally.” Percy said. “Can we go home now?” He asked, “I don’t want to keep her in a bubble for too long.” Nico chuckled.

“Of course.” He agreed. “Get us over to some shade.” Percy nodded and the rug drifted off towards shore.

G-E-N-I-E

Percy enjoyed his valentines day. Nico and him hid away in the Hades Cabin and watched movies most of the day. Nico had agreed to install an aquarium into the cabin for Ally, and the squid, along with some other fish Percy had coaxed from the deep sea, were settled in nicely. Nico’s bed had been redesigned for them, he now had a large bed frame, at the head lining the wall and wrapping to the wall the bed was pressed against. The shrimp eating fish drifted about between the L shaped tank with a near-endless supply of food (thanks to Percy) and glowing from time to time. Nico had complained at first, but Percy insisted that the cabbing was too dark and needed at least the little light they provided. Which worked well for the fish, being from the deep ocean, and Nico quickly got used to it.

Their relationship was slow going. They were learning about each other, and didn’t want to rush things. (Unlike their friends, who’ve only become more interested in their love life). Percy was switching the movies, (they were going through his and Rachel’s Disney collection) when Nico reached over, pressing his hand to the small of his back and wrapping the other around his waist and pulling him close just as the DVD player closed. Percy shuddered a little and rolled his eyes some. “Yes Nick?” He asked.

“It’s just occured to me that I’ve never seen your paintings.” Nico said, gently rubbing his back. Percy narrowed his eyes some. “And then a different thought struck. Why didn’t you return to school after the war?” He asked.

“I had missed a year at that point,” Percy answered, getting comfortable. “And Chiron said he’d have it all sorted out if I decided to go to college.” Nico nodded a bit. “As for my paintings I can show you whenever you want.” He promised. “Well, anytime other than now.” Nico chuckled and pulled him into a kiss. They laid back, cuddling onto the bed as the movie started.Nico continued to absently rub his back getting small hums of approval every so often. Around them the fish gathering at the glass to watch.

 


End file.
